The Trial of the Spirits
by Nodqfan
Summary: A young Ace Trainer named Keith gets a little more than he bargained for when he attempts the Ghost trial of Ula'Ula Island.


_Ula'Ula Island_

Keith, a young Ace Trainer made his way down Route 14, a short route that connected Tapu Village to a black sanded beach. He had come here for the next trial on his Island challenge, having already defeated the trainers on this route so that he had a clear path to the trial site, an Abandoned Thrifty Megamart Going up the staircase he spotted the captain of the trial Acerola.

"Hey there!" Acerola shouted happily waving at Keith.

"Hello, Captain" Keith replied respectfully.

"So first let me ask you something do you have a camera?" Acerola asked questioningly

"Yes," Keith replied, pulling out a small silver digital camera from his pocket, and showing it to the young girl.

"Good, because in my trial I want you to find the Totem Pokémon in that mega mart and snap a picture of it watch out though it's a bit of trickster and will do anything to avoid you. Also, the entire site is inhabited by Ghost-type Pokémon, and if they see you trying to photograph the Totem Pokémon, they will come out and try to get in on the fun too, and if you see something weird be sure to check it out" Acerola explained.

"That's good to know" Keith replied.

"Yep, and once you enter the mart, the trial begins good luck trainer," Acerola said.

"Thanks" Keith replied.

He then put the camera back into his right pocket, and he headed towards the automatic doors of the store, which, mysteriously opened even though the building had not had power for a long, long time.

Cautiously he stepped inside the store, and the doors locked behind him, trapping him inside. He looked around the store. Everything had been covered in dust, boxes were left unopened and strewn about across the store along with shopping carts abandoned where they had been left.

"Pika!" a sudden cry rang out. Causing Keith to whirl around and spot something that surprised him, a Pikachu, a short, chubby rodent Pokémon. It is covered in yellow fur with two horizontal brown stripes on its back. It has a small mouth, long, pointed ears with black tips, brown eyes, and the two red circles on its cheeks have pouches for electricity storage. It has short forearms with five fingers on each paw, and its feet each have three toes. At the base of its lightning bolt-shaped tail is a patch of brown fur at the base. was running around the store.

"A Pikachu in a place like this?" Keith wondered.

He decided to investigate and headed eastward towards where he had seen the Pikachu. However, when he reached the area the small Electric mouse Pokémon was nowhere to be seen. Instead, a conveyer belt was moving on its own. Remembering Acerola's instructions, he pulled out his digital camera and pointed it at the conveyer belt.

"Smile for the camera," Keith said as he pressed a button on the camera causing it to flash for a moment, this made the Ghost Pokémon that had been hiding in it appear it was a Gastly. A black, spherical Pokémon surrounded by a purple haze. It has a wide, pink mouth with two visible fangs. Though its eyes seem to extend past its round body, visible eyelids surround them.

"Alright time to battle, go Umbreon!" Keith shouted in excitement, pulling out a Poke Ball, and throwing it into the air. It popped open to reveal an Umbreon has a sleek black body with four slender legs and crimson eyes. There are two pairs of pointed teeth visible when its mouth is open, one in the upper jaw and one in the lower. It has long pointed ears and a bushy tail, each with a yellow band around them. Its forehead and legs have yellow rings on them. Its yellow markings glow at night and strike fear into anyone nearby. It hides in the darkness while waiting for its opponents, and its yellow rings glow when it leaps to attack.

Gastly went first and used Hypnosis its eyes glow red as it tried to confuse Umbreon, however, The Dark Type Pokémon did not flinch, showing that the attack had missed.

"Umbreon use Payback!" Keith ordered. Umbreon's body began to glow purple.

"Umbreon!" the Pokémon shouted and released multiple short streams of dark energy from its body towards Gastly striking it and knocking it out and causing it to disappear. Making the conveyer belt stop its operation.

"Good job Umbreon now get some rest" Keith pulling out its Poke Ball and pointed at the Pokémon.

"Umbreon," the Pokémon said, then the red laser fired from the ball and hit returning it. Keith the places it back in his pocket and prepares to continue the trial. Just then he saw the Pikachu again though this time it was heading westward past some boxes.

"Pika Pi," the Pikachu said again.

"Hey wait!" Keith shouted as he began to give chase to the Pokémon once more. Then he stopped when he found himself, at a lone shopping cart. Like before the Pikachu had disappeared leaving Keith by himself and the cart was moving by itself.

"This is getting weird "Keith said, once again pulling out his camera, and snapped a picture causing a Haunter to appear. a purple Pokémon with a gaseous body. It has a round head with a pair of disembodied hands. Each hand has three pointed fingers. Its head is flanked by three large, spiked protrusions on either side, and its eyes are large and triangular with small pupils. The gases composing its head curve down to form several pointed teeth framing a pink mouth and a long tongue. Its body tapers into a jagged tail.

Keith then pulled out another Poke Ball and threw it into the air.

"Go Bastiodon!" Keith shouted.

The ball opened and out came a beige colored quadruped its dark gray, square head resembles a castle wall, complete with four cream yellow, window-like spots with a black outline, three dark gray spikes on the top, and two larger gray spikes in the upper corners. Bastiodon's triangular nose extends from the middle of its shield-like head down over its lips and appears to be pierced by a gray, horizontal spike. Four spikes jut downward and four large, blunt tusks protrude upward from its dark gray lower jaw. Bastiodon's cream yellow eyes are obscured by the nasal spike and spaced-out tusks. Its thick, cream yellow body is further protected by a gray ridge and dark gray plates on its back, jagged growths on its legs, and a plated tail.

The Haunter started the battle with Sucker Punch, by going over to Bastiodon, distracting it with of its hands and using the other one to hit Bastiodon's face causing minor damage to the Shield Pokémon.

"Bastiodon use Iron Head! Keith commanded. Bastiodon's body becomes surrounded by a white aura, making it seem black and white, then it charged forward and slammed into Haunter, knocking it out, and disappearing, causing the shopping cart to stop its shaking.

"Bastiodon return, and take a rest," Keith said, returning the Pokémon to its Poke Ball.

In a now familiar pattern, he once again heard and saw the disappearing Pikachu, this time near a Poke Doll display in the northwest corner of the store.

"Third time is the charm," Keith said as he started to walk, making his way down an aisle.

After a few more minutes he found himself at the display of Poke Doll and found that they were floating above the display and once again the Pikachu was not anywhere to be seen.

"Here we go again," Keith said, taking out his camera for the third time and snapped a picture, causing a Gengar to appear. dark purple, bipedal Pokémon with a roundish body. It has red eyes and a wide mouth that is usually curled into a sinister grin. Multiple spikes cover its back, and it has large pointed ears. Its arms and legs are short with three digits on both its hands and feet. It also has a stubby tail.

"Go Alakazam!" Keith shouted throwing a Poke Ball into the air, it popped open to reveal a by its humanoid looking Pokémon structure and large mustache Additional spike protrude from each cheek. Covering its yellow, skeletal body are brown armor-like sections over its chest, shoulders, forearms, and knees. There are three toes on each foot, each of which has a white claw. It wields a silver spoon in each hand, which act as amplifiers for its psychic abilities.

Gengar started the battle with the move Shadow Ball. Gengar's hands sparked with blue electricity. It then put its hands together, forms a black ball, and shot it at Alakazam.

"Alakazam use Light Screen!" Keith shouted. Alakazam's eyes glowed yellow and five glowing yellow walls appear and form a box around it. Deflecting the Shadow Ball away.

Gengar then used Shadow Punch. It raised one of its arms and purple sparks travel up its arm and appear around its fist. It then charged forward to punch the air and sends a black fist with purple static electricity around it towards Alakazam.

"Alakazam use Reflect! Keith ordered. Alakazam stuck its hand out, crosses its spoons and around, orange barrier surrounded it deflecting it away.

An irritated look crossed the Gengar's face as it tried another formed another Shadow Ball and fired it off.

"Alakazam use Psyshock!" Keith announced. A dark ball of energy formed in the mouth of Alakazam and unleashed it at the Shadow Ball it not only dispelled the Ghost-type attack but managed to hit Gengar for massive damage knocking it down but not out. It struggled to get back to its feet but did so.

"Now let's finish this off with Psychic! Keith commanded. Alakazam crossed its spoons and it surrounded itself in a blue aura. Gengar became frozen and under Alakazam's control, Alakazam crossed its spoons again, and it sent some light blue shockwaves at Gengar the shockwaves hit the Ghost-type Pokémon sending it flying back into the doll display, knocking it out, making it disappear, and the dolls return to normal.

"Good job Alakazam," Keith said, returning it to the Poke Ball. He then turned and saw the Pikachu suddenly reappear.

"Whoa! He shouted in fright, at the sudden sight.

The Pikachu simply said "Pika!" in a happy tone.

"What is it that you want? Where are you trying to lead me? Keith asked questioningly.

The Pikachu did not respond and instead took off running.

"Oh, not again!" Keith lamented as he ran after the small Electric Mouse Pokémon. Aisle after aisle passed by until finally, Keith found himself at large pair of black doors, like the earlier times the Pikachu had simply disappeared into thin air. However, what he saw in front of the door surprised him he saw Acerola standing there.

"Acerola, but how did she get in here without me hearing anything?" he thought to himself in confusion.

Curiously he decided to approach her.

"Acerola, what are you doing here?" Keith asked

"Who are you?" "Acerola," asked coldly in reply

Keith was taken aback he had met her earlier and thought that she knew his name.

"Uh I'm Keith from Heahea City on Akala Island" Keith replied.

"Oh… never mind that" "Acerola" said once again her voice was devoid of any emotion.

"What is going on here?" Keith questioned

"Anyway, it looks like your done with your trial, right? We should hurry up and leave this place" "Acerola" stated.

"Actually, I'm not done with my trial yet" Keith answered.

"This place is dangerous you should give up on your trial and get out," Acerola said.

I'm not leaving yet" Keith responded.

"I said get out" "Acerola," remarked her tone growing more irritated with the continued defiance.

"No" Keith replied.

"Get out" "Acerola," a low tone.

"No," Keith said in defiance.

"Get out! Get out!, Get OUT!, GET OUT!, GET OUT!, !, GET OUT!" She screamed in anger and suddenly a red aura started to appear around her.

However, Keith stood his ground.

"Not a chance. I have come here to complete this trial in my quest to become the champion of the Alola region and not you nor anything else will stand in my way." Keith stated

"I SAID LEAVE!" an inhuman voice shouted angrily

It turned to face Keith now with red eyes and the aura around it steadily growing larger with each passing second.

"Foolish human I told you to leave this place, but you failed to listen. Now, you will pay a heavy price for your insolence" the voice stated.

The aura around this spirit grew so powerful that a shockwave came and knocked Keith down, causing his Poke Balls to fall out of his pocket. He tried to reach for his camera.

"Now begone!" the spirit shouted.

The aura then shot towards Keith and enveloped him.

"Ahhhhhhhh!" Keith screamed in agony before blacking out.

Several Hours later.

It was nearly night as Acerola continued to wait for Keith.

"It's been awhile since I've heard from him. I should go inside and check on him to see if he is okay," she said, concern growing in her voice.

She began to walk towards the entrance of the store and like before the doors opened to allow her inside. She scanned the room but did not any immediate signs of the young Ace Trainer.

"Did he leave and give up?" She wondered. As she continued to walk forward and search high and low for the missing trainer.

"Keith are you here?" She called out loudly

However, there was no response.

"Hmm that's strange if he did give up on my trial then he would have to go through the front doors as those are the only way out of here," she said as she continued her search.

Meanwhile, Keith began to stir back to wakefulness.

"Ouch, that hurt" Keith said he struggled to sit up. After a few more minutes of rest, he stood back up.

He looked around and saw objects that towered high above himself and into the sky.

"Huh, Where am I am I still at the trial site?" He asked in confusion.

He did not have time to dwell on that, however, as suddenly he felt the ground begin to shake.

"Woah is it an earthquake?" He questioned.

The tremors grew more intense with each passing moment so much so that it knocked him down to his knees.

"Just what is going on?" he wondered.

He looked up and, in the distance, he could see something coming closer. He could make out the form of the being, and a shocked look crossed his face, as he realized what he what he was looking at.

"Acerola?" He said in disbelief

Acerola came towards him with each step, he realized that she was somehow responsible for the shaking, and was she getting bigger and bigger? Keith did the only thing he could think of.

"Acerola I'm down here!" Keith shouted as loud as he could muster.

However, she did not seem to hear him.

"Acerola, down here, look down!" He shouted once more.

Once again, nothing. Then suddenly he saw a shadow came over him and realized that it was Acerola's foot coming speedily down towards him. He ran as fast as he could away from the massive descending appendage. With a loud "THUD" the foot landed on the floor the force of the boom, knocked Keith off his feet as he barely managed to get away from being crushed flat.

"That... was… a ... close one" Keith wheezed as he recovered from being stepped on.

After taking a few moments to regain his bearings. Keith stared at the two massive feet covered by light purple sandals. That gave Keith had an idea.

"That's it I'll climb her body and when I get high enough I'll call out to her she should be able to hear me then," he said.

With his plan in place, Keith quickly rushed over to Acerola and climbed onto her right foot and then rushed over to her ankle and grabbed a tight hold on the right ankle.

"Here we go," he said and began to shimmy his way up the ankle and then her right leg and continued his climb until he reached her dress.

"That was a long climb, but I still have a long way to go," Keith said.

He now had reached her dress which was stitched together from three different dresses. He continued to climb upward this time using the fabric of Acerola's dress as a handhold, and after a long strenuous climb, he now found himself at Acerola's chest area.

"Just a bit more," Keith said as he continued his climb.

Unfortunately, fate was not so kind to him, as suddenly the ground beneath him began to shift as it appeared Acerola was bending down.

"Noooo!" Keith shouted as he lost his grip due to shifting landscape and began to fall downward at an accelerated rate he landed somewhere with a SLAM! And he was once again knocked out.

Meanwhile, Acerola still had not found Keith, however, she did come across some Poke Balls on the floor. She noticed that they had various stickers on them.

"What kind of trainer suddenly disappears and leaves his Poke Balls behind?" she said. Then she went over to the Poke Balls, picked them up, and let them out. Umbreon, Alakazam, Bastiodon, Electivire, Crobat, and Snorlax.

"Have you seen your trainer?" Acerola asked the Pokémon.

The Pokémon looked at her in confusion, shook their heads and said their names.

"So not only did he disappear but he also abandoned his Pokémon as well?" Acerola thought.

Meanwhile, a sudden jolt awoke Keith.

"Man, today's not been my day," he said

He tried to move but felt held in place by something. He looked around and saw his surroundings and found himself horrified by his discovery.

"I'm in between her toes!" Keith shouted in horror

He tried to wiggle his way free once more, but it was still no use. Then suddenly the toes squeezed together, applying an immense amount of pressure to Keith's tiny body, the amount of pain he felt was so excruciating that he could not breathe.

Acerola meanwhile had returned to their Pokémon to their Poke Balls and was preparing to head back to the village when suddenly she felt a strange feeling come from between her toes.

"Hmm did a bug get stuck between my toes?" She wondered with a quick squeeze she was able to cease the strange movement from within her toes.

with her focus back on track. She turned around and began to head towards the doors, they opened, and she was back outside and began her walk back to the village.

Up down, up down, up down. Keith felt the force with each step she took, his body was beaten and battered by the constant movement of the young girl as well as the constant pain from her squeezing and wiggling her toes, so much so that he could feel his strength fading rapidly and he could not keep eyes open.

"Mom… Dad… I am sorry I wasn't able to become Champion like I said I was going to, and to my Pokémon I am sorry weren't able to accomplish the goal of becoming champion together" Keith said somberly.

With that, he closed his eyes for a final time, and let his body be twisted, contorted, and turned into paste by the mere toes of Acerola.

 _Tapu Village_

Tapu Village had been the sight of a former village that had been destroyed by Tapu Bulu after the villagers' hand roused its anger. Now all that stood was a lone Pokémon Center. Acerola went past and headed south down a winding path that led to the Aether House, a large white house on Route 15, owned by the Aether Foundation, it served as an orphanage for both human and Pokémon alike.

Acerola walked up the stairs and the doors opened allowing her to go inside.

"Hey, everyone, I'm back! Acerola announced.

She heard some shuffling in the TV Room and out came two preschoolers a boy named Hunter and a girl named Shelby.

"Acerola!" Hunter shouted in excitement.

"Big sis, Acerola is back!" Shelby said.

"So, is everyone hungry?" Acerola asked.

"Yes!" Both kids replied happily.

"Well, first I have some guests for you to meet come on out guys!" Acerola said as she threw the Poke Balls into the air and out came the Pokémon that she had me earlier.

"Woah Acerola did you catch all these Pokémon?" Hunter asked.

"No, a trainer was taking my trial, and suddenly disappeared and left his Pokémon behind," Acerola said.

"He must have gotten scared," Shelby said.

"Well, whatever the case may be that is still no excuse to abandon your Pokémon like that" Acerola said.

"So, will they be staying with us?" Hunter asked.

"Only for tonight. Then I plan to take them to police tomorrow and they should be able to find the trainer's family and give the Pokémon to them" Acerola said.

After that, the group went to the kitchen and started cooking some food for themselves and the Pokémon as well.

Then after the food was done they went to the table, sat down, and began to eat while all the Pokémon ate as well.

A short while later everyone was done eating and they got up and started to do the dishes with the Pokémon even chipping in and helping when needed.

After that everyone played for a little while before the kids and Pokémon got ready and went to bed. Acerola then hopped in the shower to clean herself. After getting out and drying herself off she changed into light colored purple pajamas.

Then she made her way to the bedroom, got into an empty bottom bunk, got comfortable, pulled the blanket onto her body, and fell asleep.

She was unaware that she had ended the life of a young up and coming trainer. Stopping his journey in its tracks and washed him down the shower drain like the stain he had become.

GAME OVER


End file.
